Michigan Governor to Release Email Tied to Flint Water Crisis

January 20, 2016

(LANSING, Mich.) — Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder is expected Wednesday to release his collection of email from 2014 and 2015 involving the toxic water crisis in the city of Flint, hoping to provide a better understanding of how the municipal emergency unfolded, he said Tuesday in his State of the State address.

“No citizen of this great state should endure this kind of catastrophe,” Snyder said Tuesday night, adding that he will take “full responsibility” in fixing the problem.

In the address, Snyder outlined the actions that were taken last October in response to the contaminated water crisis, including daily door-to-door distribution of water, water filters, filter replacements and water testing kits.

More than 21,000 homes in Flint have been visited by emergency responders and volunteers. Snyder vowed to tend to every home that needs attention “until every person has clean water every single day no matter what.”

“We need to make sure this never happens again in any Michigan city,” he said.

The Michigan government has made budgetary recommendations to replace water supply pipes and fixtures in Flint schools and to fund specialized staff locally in Flint for follow-up care for affected residents, Snyder said.

Provisions in the budget have also been made to keep Flint on the Detroit water line until the end of 2016, Snyder said.

Flint Mayor Karen Weaver said Wednesday during a U.S. Conference of Mayors event in Washington, D.C., that aid provided so far to Flint water is “not enough,” adding that the city has been “crying” about the issue for almost two years.

President Obama and White House Senior Advisor Valerie Jarrett met with Weaver Tuesday to say that his administration will provide continued support to state and local officials. Obama declared a state of emergency in Flint on Saturday after a request from Snyder on Jan. 14.